Aeroplane



W. TILSON.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1921.

1 ,400,582 Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

W; ZZ-L am 7220072 fmj UNITED STATES,

. 0 ILLIAM TILSON, or HEREIN, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

' AEnornAN-n 1 400,5 82 Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 1921,

\ Application filed April 16, 1921. Serial No. 462,011.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, WILLIAM TmsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Herrin, in the county of Williamson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawingls. 5 I

his invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes, and 'rnore particularly to iming of the effective lift of the main plane, and the auxiliary plane may furthermore be employed as a means for checking the speed of the plane during landing in order that landing upon more restricted surfaces may be facilitated.

Other objects'and advantages of the invention will become apparent throughout the following description.

In the accompanying drawin s wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, and

wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout:

Fi re 1 is a front elevation showing an auxillary plane constructed in accordance with my invention applied to the main plane of an aeroplane;

Fig. 2 is'a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a main plane, 1n the case of a biplane the upper plane thereof, having secured to the upper surface thereof a plurality of bearings. 11 paralleling the'edge of the main plane.

Rotatably mounted at the end of the bearings 11 is a shaft 12 to which are secured normally vertically extending supports 13 forming the support for an anxiliar plane 14, the plane 14. being braced to t e supports 13 in any desired manner, as indicated at 15,. Secured to the forward and trailing edges of the auxiliary lane 14 are the ends of a flexible cable 16 w ich pass about suitable guides 17 and secured to an adjusting lever 18, coacting with a segment 19 so that the plane 13 may be adjusted to alterthe angle thereof and may be held in such adjusted position. f I j In the positioning ofthe auxiliary plane 14}: above the main plane,.the same may be given either forward or negative stagger as may be desired, but the forward edges of the main and auxiliary plane will preferably substantially coincide. The connection of the adjusting mechanism at present rep.- resentedby the cable 16 and lever 18 will ;preferably be such that when the lever is atone limit of its movement the auxiliary plane substantially parallels the main plane. 11 other words, at the same an le of incidence thereas. Movement of t e lever to the other extreme will cause the plane to assume an angle to the main plane, the forward edge thereofbeing elevated 'sothat the auxiliar plane is moved beyond the eflicient angle 0 incidence which is normally about four degrees to the horizontal. In its normal position the auxiliary plane 14, which is sufliciently spaced above the main plane 10 so as not to interfere with the area of suction left thereof, will provide an additional lifting surface and will increase the effective area of the main plane. The auxiliary plane is useful either in checking the forward motion-of the plane in landing orin increasing the lift in rising from the ground.

Fiomthe foregoing it is believed to be obvious that by the arrangement hereinabove set forth the effective lifting area of the main plane will be increased and that the auxiliary plane may be employed either for increasing the effective lift of the plane or for checking the forward motion thereof, the latter result being accomplished by elevating the forward edge of the auxiliary plane beyond the eflicient angle of incidence thereof. It will furthermore be obvious that certain changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the main and auxiliary. wings may be resorted to without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention, and I accordingly do not limit myself to thespecific arrangement hereinabove set forth and illustrated in 'the accompanying drawings, except as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is":

1. In an aeroplane, the combination with a fixed main supportmg plane thereof, of a pivotal support extendlng longltudinally of the main plane, vertical uprights carried by the pivotal support, an auxiliary supporting plane secured to said uprights and normally having the same angle of incidence as themain plane, and means for shiftin said auxiliary plane upon the mountings t ereof to increase the angle of incidence.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination With a fixed main support plane, of bearings carried by the main plane upon the upper surface thereof, a shaft mounted in said bear- WILLIAM TILSON. 

